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Business
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick T. dela Cruz, Issue Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com
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Pampanga food
company wins
foreign consumers
Mekeni Food Corp. president Prudencio Garcia
By Othel V. Campos
A
PAMPANGA-BASED food company that started as a backyard venture in the 1970s is now making inroads into foreign markets. Established by two public school teachers and their five sons, Mekeni Food Corp. has expanded its portfolio of products from the traditional tocino and longaniza into internationally-accepted processed meat products such as sausage and bacon. Now a world-class meat processor, Mekeni exports regularly to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. It also exports to Australia and will soon reach the supermarkets of Japan, Canada, New Zealand and European countries. “This time we will showcase our products to the European market. We believe that we already have that certain level of global competitiveness that has sustained us all these years of struggling to be the best we can be,” says Mekeni president Prudencio Garcia who flew to France recently to receive an-
other global award on behalf of the company. Garcia received the “world commitment to quality award” diamond category at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Paris. Mekeni is currently busy preparing the product packaging for two kinds of sausages that will be exported to Japan. “We are the first processed food company accredited by the Japanese government to export to Japan. And because of that, we have been receiving calls from many Japanese businessmen as they inquire about our company and our products. We consider this another feather on our cap considering the very stringent food quality standards Japan requires from exporters like us,” Garcia says.
Export target
He says in the next two years “we see our company export-
ing far more than 3 percent [of total sales]. We want to be able to penetrate further the global market by increasing our export target to 40 percent of total sales while keeping the rest of 60 percent on the local front,” says Garcia. “We hope to engage companies to do business with us. Toll packaging is a business model that we are also open to do with multinationals. We can do it in their country with the support they will give us or we can also do toll manufacturing here in the Philippines. We follow what multinationals do here,” he says. Mekeni, a Pampango word that means “come here” has an ISO 2200 certified food facility in the Philippines that won for three consecutive years as the best meat processing plant “AAA” category and the 2014 MVP Bossing Award. It is the first food company in the Philippines to get food safety system certification and the first in Asia and the Philippines for food safety management system from the International Safety Organization. Globally, it won the International Arch of Europe Frankfurt Germany Platinum Award in 2013 and Century International Quality Era Award gold category in Geneva, Switzerland in 2012.
Mekeni is also preparing to penetrate the Asean market in the next few years. Garcia says state-run Development Bank of the Philippines supported the company’s expansion overseas. “As we gear for expansion and in need of financial assistance, the only financial institution willing to give us the loan was the Development Bank of the Philippines. In one of their conditions, they said we should go into exports to help the country gather more foreign exchange. This is on top of environmental concerns and of coaxing us to be the leader in our field. The DBP window came at a time when no financial institution was willing to give any Pampanga company loans of more than P10 million because of the lahar tragedy. Now, I think the bank has extended to us about P300 million worth of assistance. We are still paying for that, mind you. But we are definitely glad that somebody has that enough confidence in us that we will make it through despite our grim situation,” says Garcia. The initial loan of P50 million in 2001 was used to put up stateof-the-art manufacturing plant. Today, Mekeni is building a hive of companies to support its core business which is pro-
cessed food production. It set up a company of merchandisers to promote its products in supermarkets, groceries and other vending outlets.
Power plant
A third company it plans to create is a power generation company with a 2-megawatt facility to supply the power requirement of the business. The power plant will run on pelletized garbage that will be supplied by households within the immediate radius of the company site. Garcia is the second in a brood of five male siblings. He received his basic education in Porac, Pampanga and made his way to Manila to take Accounting in one of the well-established universities. A consistent honor student from grade school to college, Garcia graduated cum laude and worked as an accounting manager in a cement company in Damam, Saudi Arabia. However, he says the challenges he encountered in running a business could not be found in any of the books he read in school. When he return from the Middle East, Garcia made a mental note to pursue his career as accountant, this time in the US
Wellness guru visits PH BOXING and working out at the gym seem to be hot trends nowadays. For an increasing number of people, these are more than fleeting trends. In the Philippines, a handful of companies in the health and wellness arenas are slowly but steadily realizing that offering quality natural products and services geared towards health and fitness can be lucrative endeavors. At the forefront of inspiring people to embrace health and fitness is wellness guru Dr. James Rouse, who is set to visit Manila and enthrall Healthy Options’ loyal customers and the public-atlarge. The occasion: the 2016 Healthy Options Talks dubbed “Vitamins of Life: Eat, Think, Move, Thrive” is slated on Oct.18 at Shangri-La at The Fort. The wellness event is being staged by Healthy Options in cooperation with Kerry Sports Manila. One of these big lifestyle and leisure facilities is Kerry Sports Manila, which recently opened at Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Kerry Sports Manila occupies over 8,000 square meters of dedicated recre-
ation space. The massive fitness facility has four dedicated studios for group exercises, namely the Yoga Studio, Pilates Studio, Multipurpose Studio and Spin Studio. At Kerry Sports Manila, there are spaces to move, explore, compete, relax and indulge. On Oct. 18, participants of the “Vi-
tamins of Life: Eat, Think, Move, Thrive” can try some activities such as meditation, yoga or spinning class at Kerry Sports Manila. In the evening, the live seminar featuring Dr. Rouse will be followed by book signing. The Philippines’ fast growing natural products retail store chain has been
teaming up with wellness experts who have demonstrated ability and commitment to help empower people to improve their health, well-being, and overall lifestyle through positive mindset and natural strategies. Partnering with wellness and lifestyle experts with proven track record and charisma not only spurs business but leads to a more enlightened and empowered populace. Dr. Rouse has inspired and advised businesses, organizations and individuals on how to achieve vibrant, highperformance living. During wellness events, he urges audiences to eat and move mindfully. He is a highly sought-after speaker, awarded author, naturopathic doctor and human performance clinician. He has worked with established companies including Google, Whole Foods, the NFL and NBA. Dr. James is also an entrepreneur who has developed nutritional products. In his book “Think Eat Move Thrive The Practice for an Awesome Life,” he advises readers to think big, eat well and move with passion and thrive everyday.
where most of his co-workers in Saudi Arabia moved on, if his family would support his proposal to close the family business because of the foot-and-mouth disease that affected local livestock. “We started little like a backyard business. It was in the 90s when the foot-and-mouth disease hit the Philippines. With 40 or so manpower and our business being pork-based, I told my brothers that it’s either we close the business or lay-off people. That’s something we agreed on but our father, Tatang Felix made us rethink this decision. He reminded us that the reason we came back from abroad was to provide employment to people, so shutting down the company was never an option for him. From there we talked to our workers and with them offering a solution to work part-time on a shifting basis, we started again,” he recalls. Garcia says while it was tough during that time when FMD broke out, it was tougher to know that your people or at least half of your workers would not be able to provide for their families. “That made me realize, by heart, the purpose why Tatang called on us to continue the business they started and nurtured us, fed us and provided for us until we studied in college. Imagine, at that time, my parents’ salary as school teachers were only P200 per month for each of them. When I was studying in Manila, I needed to pay for my dormitory that was P200 per month, just about the salary of my father. Our small business of poultry and egg production provided for our education. My parents also butchered pigs on weekends and loaned people pork that they would pay the next payday,” says Garcia. Garcia recalls that as young student, he was helping his parents in their backyard business by waking up 4 in the morning to prepare and deliver eggs to the market before going to school.
Hard work
“This is the same dedication and hard work we have for our company. Me and my brothers have cultivated the same level of dedication to our people in what we call ‘family-oriented’ business. Ours is a system that involves the family of our workers. We share the blessing, we do corporate social activities for those outside the organization. We are open to the family members of workers who want to be part of the business,” he says. In 1986, the Garcia siblings incorporated Mekeni with P5 million capital. Today, the company is worth over P800 million with annual sales of not less than P1.2 billion. It employs about 1,300 people from Pampanga to Laguna. What used to be a small backyard business started by their parents in the early 1970s is now a major competitor in the food processing sector with global presence in major markets. Tatang Feliz remains the Garcia family’s strong-willed patriarch while Imang Idang, the matriarch passed away eight years ago, the same year Garcia’s first and only child was born. The Garcia brothers still consult their father when there are major decisions to be made. Lito, the eldest, is the company vice president for finance and administration; Adrian, the third, controls supply chain management as vice president; Nardo, is the vice president for marketing and sales; and Doods is the vice president for manufacturing. Keeping in shape, Garcia never fails to do his morning jog with his favorite canines. He previously owned and trained 14 dogs but now keeps only four. Garcia says he is happy with what the world has offered his family and is prepared to confront the challenges ahead. “My father used to tell us and I remember it quite well. Real happiness is when you share a big portion of your life. What you enjoy you enjoy because you share something in excess,” says Garcia.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com
Business
South African executive: PH has ‘fantastic’ future
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HE South African managing director of enterprise software giant SAP is excited about the “fantastic” growth opportunity the Philippines has in the digital age.
“I have never been so excited to work with SAP Philippines and that goes not only for the company but for the region as well. I think we have fantastic opportunity in Southeast Asia and the Philippines specifically to make a material difference, to live up to our vision,” SAP Philippines managing director Ryan Poggi says in an interview at a restaurant in Fort Bonifacio commercial business district in Taguig City. “With 7 percent GDP growth and a young digital economy, we [SAP Philippines] should be leading and driving as one of the growth engines for SAP,” Poggi says. SAP, a German multinational corporation, is considered the world’s largest business software company whose vision is to help companies of all sizes and industries run better. Poggi says SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. “We have grown exponentially. We started SAP Philippines in 1995 with three employees and one customer [San Miguel Corp.]. We now have more than 1,500 customers across the Philippines. We have over 1,600 employees, if you count Concur,” says Poggi, referring to SAP’s recent acquisition of Concur Tech-
nologies. SAP now has four offices in the Philippines spread in Fort Bonifacio, Makati and Ortigas CBDs. “With the recent acquisition of Concur, we have about 1,600 to 1,700 employees that is split between our Concur, as well as SAP. Our shared services centers [in Makati and Ortigas] serve our customers globally. What we have here [Fort Bonifacio] is the typical operations, sales and delivery office,” says Poggi, who has over 12 years of international management experience. Poggi who was assigned to lead SAP Philippines operations last year was previously assigned in Singapore and Dubai. “My family is from South Africa. I moved to the Middle East to look for the Middle East region from a commercial standpoint. About five years ago, I moved to Singapore again with SAP. About a year and a half ago, I got the exciting opportunity to lead the Philippines,” he says. He settled at Fort Bonifacio along with his wife and his daughter. Aside from the economic potential of the Philippines, Poggi was impressed by the country’s natural beauty. “I have been to Cebu, Camiguin, Dumaguete, Coron, and I really want to go up to Batanes,”he says. Poggi says SAP can help Philippine companies in their digi-
SAP Philippines managing director Ryan Poggi tal transformation. “If you look at the economy of today and economy of tomorrow, software is going to be the enabler for the way people live. I don’t think there has ever been a better time for SAP or any other software company to actually enact that vision,” he says. He says an unprecedented convergence of technology and trends is changing the world, ushering in digital transformation. Poggi says digital transformation requires a complete rethinking of current operational processes. “In the digital economy, we see the traditional lines between industries get blurred. Telcos are not just telcos. Retailers are not just retailers. Utility companies are moving into services. What we have been able to do, and
the strength that what I believe SAP has is we have deep industry expertise across 25 of the world’s largest industries,” he says. He says traditional companies need to evolve to take advantage of the digital economy. “It is a fundamental mind shift to what is possible. Companies don’t yet understand the possibilities that are available in the digital economy,” he says. Poggi says Cloud technology plays an important role in transformation. “Cloud is a delivery mechanism to simplify how businesses operate. What cloud necessitates is for companies to be simple in their operations. Cloud enables the simplification of the way companies operate, the way they communicate to themselves and to the broader world. It frees up resources, assets,” he
says. Poggi says SAP can help Philippine companies expand beyond national borders. “The reality is we have a lot of companies in the Philippines that are expanding globally. In order to do that, they need to simplify the way they operate. Taking a business that has been traditionally Philippine-based or any countrybased, and expanding globally either through acquisition or organic growth, you need to have a very simple core operation in order to ensure that all other divisions that you are running or buying out globally are able to run at the same pace, or run with the same flexibility,” he says. Poggi considers the Philippines as an extremely important market for Southeast Asia and for Asia-Pacific. “If you look
at the global growth of regions, APJ [Asia-Pacific including Japan] and Southeast Asia, it [the Philippines] is at the forefront of global growth. If you look at the Philippines with 7 percent growth in GDP, it is one of the fastest growing economies anywhere in the world, certainly in Asia,” he says. “You combine that sort of underlying growth with the fact that the Philippines has the highest Internet adoption growth rate of any country, at 530 percent, one of the highest Twitter and Facebook penetration rates at 80 and 90 percent, [respectively]. You combine the adoption of digital technology from the consumer standpoint that the Philippines has with the growth in the economy, I think the opportunity here is endless,” says Poggi. Roderick T. dela Cruz
Canadian pizza chain expands PH presence STEVESTON Pizza, an artisanal pizzeria from Vancouver, Canada which arrived in the Philippines in 2013, has recently opened a third branch at the Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse in Quezon City. “Steveston Pizza does not create ordinary pizzas. Our pizzas are not made but are crafted. Our ingredients are chosen in such a way that together they produce a harmony of flavors and it is almost a re-imagining of what a pizza may taste like,” says Richard Go, owner of Steveston Pizza Philippines.
Traffic congestion now a crisis ROADS in Metro Manila and other urban centers have become more congested in recent weeks ahead of the holiday season, as vehicle sales continue to rise at a rapid pace. The traffic congestion, according to a congressman, is now a crisis that can cost the economy up to P6 billion in lost productivity each day by 2030, if it is not carefully addressed. Rep. Strike Revilla of the 2nd district of Cavite province says the Philippines is projected to lose up to P6 billion a day by 2030 due to traffic congestion in the National Capital Region and other urban centers, based on a study by Japan International Cooperation Agency. The Jica study found that the national economy was losing P2.4 billion in lost productivity each day in 2012, a
Drastic traffic reduction measures are necessary to be undertaken through traffic management reforms. number that was expected to dramatically rise in the next decade. This prompted Revilla to file House Bill No. 1666 also known as the “Public Thoroughfare Crisis Act of 2016.” Traffic congestion in Metro Manila has direct impact on nearby urban local government units like the city of Bacoor, he says, as millions of workers of Metro Manila
reside in these LGUs and the big volume of commuters to and from these localities also contribute to the crisis experienced in the NCR. “Drastic traffic reduction measures are necessary to be undertaken through traffic management reforms,” Revilla says in a statement. “This bill wishes to address the crisis, stop economic losses as a result thereof, and provide relief to the millions of commuters, by granting emergency powers to the president of the Philippines, empowering him to implement emergency measures and mechanisms for the same,” Revilla says. Automotive companies sold 323,928 cars and SUVs, on top of hundreds of thousands of motorcycles in 2015. Industry groups expect to sell another 370,000 vehicles in 2016.
He says Steveston Pizza has elevated the humble and ordinary pizza into a work of art. He says upon setting eyes on a pizza and after taking their first bite, guests will know the difference between an ordinary pizza and a Steveston pizza. “The pizza crust is light, fluffy and chewy, not thin, crunchy or crispy; it is neither thick, starchy nor gummy. All our ingredients must be fresh and of the utmost quality. For example, our pineapples are always fresh and never canned,” says Go. Steveston Pizza has become a destination in itself, due to the multitude of unique and delicious pizza flavors it offers, of which there are currently more than 30, according to Go. Among the best-sellers are the Princess Pizza which has tiger prawns, crab meat, cheese, shrimp, essence of Pernod and tomato salsa; and the C2 pizza which features Prosciutto ham, brie, semi-dried roma tomatoes and a dollop of roasted garlic mousse. There is also the C0 pizza, which has smoked salmon that is smoked in-house, fresh spinach, golden baked potatoes and a sour cream dressing.
Other offerings are (elements) water, fire, earth, wind; (colors) black, blue, green, pink, orange; (journeys) Canadian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Hawaiian, Mediterranean, French,Italian; and the all-time favorite the Caveman. “Our guests love the Caveman because of its generous all-meat toppings and the Japanese for its unique flavor profile. The blue pizza featuring Stilton blue cheese mousse is also notable. Even if you are not a blue cheese fan, you will love our blue pizza,” Go says. Steveston Pizza Philippines is the first international franchisee of the original Steveston Pizza in Vancouver, Canada. Located in the picturesque fishing village of Steveston, the pizza house is considered by locals andtourists alike to be one of the main attractions in the area. Go, who frequents Vancouver, says he fell in love with the pizzas the first time he tasted it. Nader Hatami, owner of Steveston Pizza in Canada, is a celebrated chef who created the original recipes. Steveston Pizza had been consecutively awarded as the Best Pizza by the Richmond Review from 2008 to 2015. Various international publications hail Hatami’s pizzas as “pure poetry,” with “ingredients that sing freshness,” and that his “pizzas are not made but crafted.” Steveston Pizza is known for creating the most expensive pizza in the world that is commercially available. The pizza, which costs $450, features thermidor of lobster and black Alaskan cod with a side of Russian Osetra caviar and must be ordered a day ahead. Go says Steveston Pizza is quite affordable despite the quality and exotic nature of its ingredients. All pizzas come in 12 slices and prices range from P350 to P1,899. Go says they are mulling over expansion plans and are open for franchising to other Asean countries. Steveston Pizza branches at UP Town Center, the Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse and Circuit Lane in Makati. “The best pizza of Canada is here in town,” he says.
Sports
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
By Homer Vidal
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UVALI continues its advocacy of a balanced lifestyle and a sustainable community by hosting the 2016 Dirt Weekend Bike Festival, the biggest and best offroad bike event of the country this year to be held November 11 and 12.
“Mountain biking and the balanced lifestyle we promote here in Nuvali naturally go together. This is close to our heart. Biking is something that is promoted well in Nuvali. We hope to change the attitude of Filipinos about transport. Riding bicycles is a good alternative to driving cars. It is economical and socially sensitive,” said Nuvali General Manager John Estacio. The race in November marks Nuvali’s eighth year of assembling cyclists of varying skill levels from the country’s different provinces as well as from other countries to participate in the Dirt Weekend Bike Festival. Nuvali again partnered with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body on sports cycling events. This year the race also serves as Asia’s qualifying leg for the 2017 Cross Country Marathon World Championship on Nov. 11 to 12. “Nuvali is known as a popular destination for mountain bikers with its natural traits and dedicated lanes that encourage biking as a sport and a mode of transportation. We would like to take this a step further and serve as venue for world-class competition in order to recognize local talents as well as give our athletes a chance to compete globally,” said Estacio. Over 2,000 enthusiasts and elite level riders are expected to take part in the weekend bike festival. The Nuvali executive explained that the Dirt Weekend Bike Festival has grown over the years and has become much more than just a race. “It’s a community event. We have participants from across all social and economic strata. This is because the race welcomes everyone. It’s a bicycle race not just for the elite riders but also casual and weekend riders,” said Estacio. The bike festival is not just a race for corporate executives and businessmen but also for company employees and members of the middle class according to Estacio. The Nuvali GM said the experience gained from holding the race over the years has helped them grow and improve. “Dirt Weekend is a platform for us to demonstrate the sustainability of the community. The route is 45 kilometers which participants will traverse twice. After the race you can expect that the trails remain there. The trails will be permanent features of the course for everyone to use in the years to come,” said Estacio. The race is accredited by both the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body for the sport, and its local affiliate, the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (Philcycling). Estacio said the race has grown over the years to become one of the country’s premium mountain biking events. It has been held yearly since 2009 at the 2,290-hectare Ayala Land estate. The first race in 2009 drew about 500 participants. This year, Estacio said they expect 2,000 to join. According to Athena Mendoza, member of the organizing committee, one of the country’s top riders Alvin Benosa will make a bid to improve on his performance last year in this race when he placed third overall. Benosa was third behind eventual
By Reuel Vidal STRIKER Joshua Pacio practically beat up ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito in the first two rounds of their title fight at the ONE: State of Warriors at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar last week. Pacio was piling up points as he hit Naito almost at will and stuffed every one of the champion’s many takedown attempts. Everything was going Pacio’s way until Naito spun him to the ground in the third round then clamped a rear naked choke on his neck to submit the brash challenger and retain the title. The loss would have discouraged a lesser man. Instead Pacio believes the bitter loss has taught him a valuable lesson in humility which has made him a better fighter. “I was really taken by surprise during that fight. I learned a valuable lesson.
Bicycle riders kick up a cloud of dirt as they ride off the road and into the bicycle trails of Nuvali.
Nuvali hosts country’s biggest trail bike race 2015 Dirt Weekend Bike Festival women’s category winner Ilda Pereira negotiates a Nuvali bicycle trail.
Nuvali General Manager John Estacio talks about the 2016 Dirt Weekend Bike Festival. With him are PhilCycling Deputy Secretary General Kamilla Sumagui (right) and Athena Mendoza who is a member of the Nuvali race organizing committee.
men’s champion Milton Javier Ramos Gomez of the Honduras and second placer Jerra Vatchatam Tawatchai of Thailand. In the women’s category local rider Melissa Jaroda placed third behind first placer Ilda Pereira of Portugal and second placer Yazid Kuzmawati of Indonesia last year. Their podium finishes qualified them for the 2016 World Mountain Bike Championship in Laissac, France. The ever-improving race is world class and has attracted some of the best bicycle riders all over the world. “We put our best foot forward. There are the best amenities for the contestants including air-conditioned toilets. We prepare for the comfort and safety of the riders. Even the foreign riders appreciate all the attention to detail,” said Mendoza. Registration is all online. Participants can register at nuvali.ph/dirtweekend2016 or m.nuvali.ph/dirtweekend2016 for mobile devices. There will be registration booths for assisted
online registration in selected events and bike shops to be announced on Facebook. Registration fee is P925 for Dirt Weekend Cross Country Fun Race and P1,300 for the UCI marathon World Series qualifying race. Participants should be at least 15 years old to join Dirt Weekend. Those who wish to join the UCI Marathon World Series qualifying race must be at least 19 years old. All riders to cross the finish line will be given finishers’ medal while cash prizes will be given to the top three finishers at the Fun Race. The top 20 and 10 finishers for the Cross Country Marathon Men Elite and Women Elite will likewise receive cash. Since it started in 2009, the Dirt Weekend Bicycle Festival has grown tremendously. It is now an annual platform for local cyclists not only to showcase their skills but more importantly improve their performance as they eventually become globally competitive.
Three riders chase after each other as they race along a bicycle trail which climbs up a steep hill.
Pacio learns bitter lesson
You can’t afford to be careless in a fight. You have to be aware of what’s happening even when you’re ahead. You should always have that presence of mind. Your opponent also trained and prepared hard for the fight. He is also ready to fight and win,” Pacio said in a phone interview with Manila Standard. Before the Naito fight Pacio strung up eight consecutive abbreviated victories. He won three via knockout and then prevailed in the other five via submission. Pacio is now back in Baguio practicing in his home gym Team Lakay. “I started training again. I’m just there working out. Regarding my next fight I don’t really have any preference. Whoever they put up is Joshua Pacio taps out after Strawweight champion Yoshitaka Naito okay. I need to prepare hard for my wrapped his arm around his neck to lock in a rear naked choke. ONE Championship next fight,” said Pacio.
Pacio grew up in La Trinidad, Benguet. He had to overcome oppressive odds all of his life. His father left the family, relocating to Israel for work when he was only six years old. This forced his mother to raise him as a single parent. He said he was fat at the age of 10. His weight at the time was 65kg. He was so fat that when he stood up he could not see his feet because his belly was too big. He was introduced by his uncle, an exMuay Thai fighter, to the martial arts. Pacio was immediately inspired in large part because he found a new father figure in his uncle. He said Martial arts changed his life. His attitude improved, his health improved and he learned the value of discipline. At 11, Pacio began training in Muay
Thai and kickboxing under the tutelage of his uncle. Because of all the activity he dropped his weight quickly. By 13 he moved on to wushu and then competed at the 2010 Wushu Nationals just a year later. He joined Team Lakay after entering high school. He watched hometown hero Honorio Banario elevate his professional career in Filipino MMA and followed in the footsteps of his idol. Because of his Team Lakay experience Pacio improved his game immensely. He racked up wins as a professional paving the way to the shot at the ONE Championship title showdown where he learned difficult but valuable lessons. For more updates on ONE Championship, visit onefc.com, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ ONEChampionship, and like on Facebook at facebook.com/ ONEChampionship.
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Sports
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel S. Vidal, Issue Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
RACING, WINNING IN THE BLOOD. Jacq Buncio scoots home to victory in the PH Pirelli Superbike Championship Final Round.
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O YOUNG, but so fast. And she’s a girl!
Sixteen-year-old Jacq Buncio fortified her status as the racing scene’s newest darling with scintillating wins in the 2016 Philippine Pirelli Superbike Championship Final Round, and the 2016 Shell Advance IR-CUP Series and Moto-IR Championship, all held at the Clark International Speedway recently. Buncio, youngest sister of the late superbikes’ great Maico, made history as the youngest and first female motorcycle circuit racer to win the overall championship in the 2016 Philippine Pirelli Superbike Championship last Oct. 1 and 2. The O.B. Montessori student captured the Pirelli Cup Lightweight Class A division using her entry level sports bike, a Yamaha R-3 against numerous 300cc and 390cc machines and male opponents at that. On the same day, the lady racer who was born and raised in Mandaluyong City, also secured the overall 1st runner-up finish in the 2016 FDR Philippine 115 Underbone King Championships and the third overall in the 130cc Philippine Scooter Racing Championships – a triple-feat of sorts that will be very hard to duplicate. The following Sunday at the same race track, Buncio was at it again in the finals of the 2016 Shell Advance IR-CUP Series and Moto-IR Championship. Buncio again proved her talent and skills by becoming back-to-back champion (as the only Rose among the Thorns) in the Moto-IR 2 Rounds 8 and 9 using her Top-1 Oil CBR, while
MOTOR RACING’S newest DARLING
Jacq (right) and older sister Des give their father Yoyong a big hug before their races.
bagging 1st place on the same day in the 180cc Backbone Category using her dependable Yamaha STX, another triple-feat in a day. During the Awards Banquet night at Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark, Pampanga, Buncio was awarded as the 2016 overall Vice Champion in Moto-IR 2 and 2nd Overall Champion in 180cc Backbone Category, a culmination of her development as a racer with two and a half years of circuit-racing experience. With her tremendous growth, Lady Jacq’s backers YRS Motorcycle Modification Inc., owned by her dad Yoyong Buncio, Walter Aw of TOP-1 Oils Philippines, Jay Sipin of MotoScoot and Reginald Burila of KojieSan Philippines, are committing another round of sponsorships. Des Buncio, Jacq’s older sister who also races in Pirelli Cup Lightweight A division, settled for second place in 180cc Backbone Category using her efficient Yamaha YBR 125 and claimed 3rd place in the 180cc backbone overall. Was it just a coincidence or is winning on the track really runs on the Buncio’s blood? Cliché as it may seem, racing is in the
Buncio family’s genes. Patriarch Gregorio “Yoyong” Buncio was a winning motocross rider in his youth. His sons, Maico and Barny, were motorcycle racing champions until Maico died of crash-related injuries in May 2011, while Barny opted to retire and start a family. Now, Yoyong’s two daughters – Maria Lourdes (Des) and Jacquelyn (Jacq)– are tracing the championship steps of their father and brothers. The Buncios believe that racing has made their family whole again. “With Jacq and Des out on the track, I still feel nervous like I did when Maico was racing,”confessed Mylene. “But watching and supporting my daughters’ races made our family whole again. We can feel Maico’s presence when we’re in a racing circuit and he’s watching over his sisters.” Yoyong added: “And we feel that we are here back on the track for a purpose and that is to preach safety in racing. The need for speed is achieved on the race track and not on the streets. That is one of the philosophies that we are preaching, that’s why we are here.”
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IN VIETNAM By Lito Cinco NEWLY elected Philippine Association of Sepak Takraw president Karen TanchancoCaballero was the Chef de Mission of the lean Philippine team that joined the 5th Asian Beach Games in Da Nang, Vietnam, a four-kilometer beach shoreline serving as the games’ battlegound. And what an experience turned out to be for Karen as the athletes surpassed her expectations. The 67-athlete delegation competed only in 11 out of the 22 events contested, but went home with 21 medals, composed of two golds, four silvers and 15 bronzes—good for 17th place overall out of 42 countries. There were two events where the gold slipped out from the hands of two Filipino athletes. Jiu-jitsu’s Gian Dee had a lock on his Iraqi opponent going into the final seconds of the bout, but he lost his hold and with it went a possible gold. Another was in the beach athletics, where triple jumper Mark Harry Diones was leading going into the final jump, but lost out to his opponents and had to settle for third place. The Philippines could have even finished eighth had Dee and Diones won those gold medals. The overall standings based on total medals won saw host Vietnam as expected, on top with 52 golds, 44 silvers, and 43 bronzes, with Thailand a far second at 36 - 24 – 30. China placed third (12 - 18 - 19), followed by Iran (9 - 6 – 6) and Mongolia (7 - 4 – 8). “It was total collaboration for all, the medical team was very efficient and were
there when needed. The secretariat took care of the little things for the athletes like getting their accreditation and meal cards, and other things ready without efforts anymore from the athletes, while I was the orchestrator of everything that the athletes only had to focus on their respective events,” said Caballero. It was jiu-jitsu which delivered the gold medals for the team and the fact that it was Margarita Ochoa, who won the very first gold for the Philippines was not a surprise for Caballero as an hour before that, she was struck by the thought that it was going to be a female athlete who would deliver the first gold. When she was informed about it, she was in the middle of a meeting with other CDM’s and she shocked everyone when she jumped up in joy upon hearing the news. “From what I was told, she was already on her last gasp in that bout and it was only her determination not to lose that enabled her to escape from an early lock on her by her Thai opponent. It was a different story for the other gold medalist, Annie Ramirez. I was there at the fight and when she went up the ring, the way she stood there, oozing with confidence, it told me she was going to win, and she did in overwhelming fashion, “ said Caballero. Ramirez actually duplicated her goldmedal finish when she competed in the previous Asian beach games in 2014. The country’s three other silvers came from pencak silat, with Princesslyn Enopia, Jaciren Abad and Jefferson Loon delivering the medals. It was Loon who impressed Caballero most when the athlete told his coach prior to his semifinal bout that if he loses, the coach should take him out of the team.
What happened was Loon sent his Thai opponent to the hospital in winning the bout. “We saw a lot of national athletes, even some Olympians in the swim events fielded by other countries. The competition was tough, but with a better preparation in terms of selecting the athletes to be sent, we really could have done better. As it was, not all our NSAs were into it. The 3 x 3 men’s basketball could have given us a very good opportunity for another gold for instance,” added Caballero. Caballero believes that local sports officials should start changing their way of thinking of their participation in the Asian Beach Games. “This is not a minor event anymore and we should look more towards nonOlympic sports. A lot of the events here are non-Olympic ones and we were going up against the region’s powerhouse countries in non-Olympic martial arts events.” But she paid special tribute to her 18man medical team composed of doctors, nurses, masseurs and psychotherapists, led by Dr. Pilar Villanueva, who subbed for Dr. Felix Brawner as he had to rush back to Manila because of the death of a sibling. “Our medical team members knew what they were doing and organized themselves very well, I just told them to let
Gold medalists Margarita Ochoa (center) and Annie Ramirez (right) display their gold medals. At left is a national athlete carrying the Philippine flag.
me know what they need and I will provide but they had to be wherever and whenever they were needed, and they delivered just as our athletes did, “ related Caballero. “ I believe even as I was a neophyte CDM, I was fortunate that I had a very
good team with me, and they know that I am willing to learn. I ask questions, I admit mistakes and given the chance, I would welcome being a CDM again. It was a very good learning experience for me,” said Caballero.